Fixture for model rocket

ABSTRACT

A fixture facilitating the accurate positioning and gluing of fins to the tubular body of a model rocket.

[451 Apr. 23, 1974 3,103,062 9/1963 Himmelberger................... 29/200 .1 3,447,223 6/1969 29/200 P FIXTURE FOR MODEL ROCKET [76] Inventor: Mitchell Gornik, 460 Pioneer Dr.

Addison, 111. 60101 Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edmond T. Patnaude 2 7 9 l 5 1 4 u 1 D3 N 1 D. D. FA .1] .1 22 [l T C A R T S B A .H 5 .l. PW 0/ 09 10 2 9 23] 0 0 m2 WW mm n mh .r. "8 U L h C w. O Huh 1]] 2 8 555 [2.11.

A fixture facilitating the accurate positioning and glu- 5 References Ci ing of fins to the tubular body of a model rocket.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,396,452 3/1946 Widmark et al. 29/200 J 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures and precisely glue either three or four tail fins to the tubular body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Model rocketing has become popular during the past decade particularly among children and young adults who are often times not particularly adept at model building. Probably the most difficult operation in building such rockets is the gluing of the fins to the tubular body. Even with fast drying glue this assembly operation is time consuming, and more particularly, it is extremely difficult if precise fin location and alignment are to be achieved.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for attaching fins to the tubular bodies of model rockets.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fixture facilitating the gluing of fins to the bodies of model rockets.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a fixture which is usable with different sizes of fins and rocket bodies and with different numbers of fins.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the above and further objects may be realized in accordance with the present invention by providing a flat base on which a plurality of brackets are accurately located and radially adjustable with respect to a body tube held by the brackets at angularly offset loca tions. Spring clips are provided to hold the fins against the body tube and against locating surfaces on the brackets while the glue is setting up.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Further objects and advantages and a better under standing of the present invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fixture embodying the present invention being used to hold a rocket body and tail fins during a gluing operation;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the fixture illustrated in FIG. 1 taken along the line 2--2 thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the fixture of FIG. 2 taken along the line 3-3 thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, a fixture 10 comprises a circular base plate 12 having a planar top surface. A plurality of identical bracket members 14 are mounted to the plate 12 for adjustable radial movement for engagement with a tubular rocket body 16 disposed in perpendicular relationship relative to the base plate. The vertical inner edge 18 of each bracket engages the rocket body 16 as best shown in FIG. 2 to hold it in the vertical position. Planar vertical surfaces 20 on the brackets 14 lie along equally spaced radii of the rocket body 16 and the rocket fins 22 are respectively held against these surfaces and against the rocket body 16 by a plurality of spring clips 24. As shown, the rocket body engaging edge 18 on each bracket is offset from the surface 20 to provide a space between the edge 18 and the adjacent edge of the fin to assure that. the fin does not become glued to the fixture.

Considered in greater detail, each bracket 14-is an integral'member having a mounting flange 26 provided with a pair of aligned slots 28 and 30 which slidably receive guide posts 32 and 34 (FIG. 3) extending upwardly from the base plate 12. The posts 32 and 34 are internally threaded to respectively receive a pair of thum screws 36 and 38 for locking the bracket in the adjusted position. The thumb screws also include screwdriver slots for facilitating the loosening thereof should that be necessary. Where the plate 12 is metal, the posts may be formed in a punch extrusion operation. A plurality of feet 39 suitably formed of a soft resilient material are fastened to the bottom of the plate 12 to provide clearance for the screws 36 and 38 and to prevent damage to the surface on which the fixture is supported.

Extending upwardly and perpendicularly to the flanges 26 is a main body or plate portion 40 having the inner end 41 thereof bent at an angle from the fin engaging surface 20. The guide posts 32 and 34 are arranged in two sets for use with rocket designs having either three or four fins. In one set the posts are spaced apart and in the other set they are spaced apart. In the drawings, there brackets 14 are shown, it being understood, however, that a fourth identical bracket is provided and used when four fins are to be assembled to the rocket body.

In order to facilitate adjustment of the brackets 14 to precisely center rocket bodies having different diameters, a plurality of concentric circles 42 are scribed on the top face of the base plate 12. The circles 42 have diameters respectively equal to the outside diameters of the commonly used model rocket body tubes. The center point of these guide circles lies on the vertical line at which the planes of the fin engaging surfaces 20 of the three or four brackets 14 intersect.

OPERATION In use, the number of brackets 14 corresponding to the number of fins on the rocket model being built are selected and attached over the corresponding set of posts 32 and 34. As illustrated, the three sets at 120 angles have been chosen and three brackets are assembled thereover with the screws 36 and 38 loosely in place. The brackets 14 are then separately adjusted to bring the edges 18 up to that reference circle 42 which corresponds to the body tube size. With the screws 36 and 38 tightened, the body tube 16 is inserted between the edges 18 to the desired position which need not be in engagement with the base plate 12 depending on the particular rocket design. Glue is then placed along the inner edge of one of the fins 22 which is then placed against one of the surfaces 20 and. the glued edge is pressed against the body tube. A clip 24 is then slipped over the fin and the body 40 of the bracket to hold the fin in place while the glue sets up. The operation is re peated for the other fins.

The present invention thus enables the accurate positioning and gluing of the fins to model rocket body tubes in a simple and fast manner. Unlike the prior art assembly techniques, it is not necessary to wait until one fin is fixed to the body before another is assembled. The fixture of this invention is sufficiently versatile so as to be usable with a wide range of body tube sizes and rocket designs. Moreover, when disassembled the fixture is compact for ease in carrying and in shipment and only four different part designs, i.e., the base, the bracket, the clip and the screw are required.

While the present invention has been described in connection with a particular embodiment thereof, it

will be understood that those skilled in the art may make many changes and modifications without departing from the true spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A fixture for use in attaching a plurality of fins to the body of a model rocket, comprising a base member,

a plurality of bracket members each having a planar surface against which one of said fins is adapted to be disposed,

means mounting each of said bracket members to said base for adjustable movement only in the plane of said planar surface with said planar surfaces intersecting along a common line,

said bracket members each including an elongated edge portion for engagement with said body to hold said body in a fixed position relative to the planar surfaces of said bracket members with the longitudinal axes of said body coincident with said common line.

2. A fixture according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of spring clips for holding said fins against said planar surfaces and in engagement with a rocket body held between said bracket members.

3. A fixture according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises a plurality of guide posts extending from said base into slots in said bracket members. 4. A fixture according to claim 3, wherein said posts are internally threaded and comprising thumb screw means receivable in said posts for locking said bracket members in adjusted positions on said base member. 5. A fixture according to claim 1, wherein said bracket members each comprise an upstanding portion on which said planar surface is disposed, and a portion extending at an angle therefrom and on which said edge portion is disposed, said edge portion being offset from the plane of said surface. 6. A fixture according to claim 5, comprising a flange on each of said bracket members extending perpendicularly to said planar surface and being slotted in a direction parallel to said planar surface, and a plurality of guide members on said base extending into the slots in the flanges on said bracket members for restricting the movement of said bracket members to rectilinear directions parallel to said slots. 7. A fixture according to claim 6 wherein said base is provided with a plurality of circumferential circles marked thereon, the center of said circles lying on said common line. 

1. A fixture for use in attaching a plurality of fins to the body of a model rocket, comprising a base member, a plurality of bracket members each having a planar surface against which one of said fins is adapted to be disposed, means mounting each of said bracket members to said base for adjustable movement only in the plane of said planar surface with said planar surfaces intersecting along a common line, said bracket members each including an elongated edge portion for engagement with said body to hold said body in a fixed position relative to the planar surfaces of said bracket members with the longitudinal axes of said body coincident with said common line.
 2. A fixture according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of spring clips for holding said fins against said planar surfaces and in engagement with a rocket body held between said bracket members.
 3. A fixture according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises a plurality of guide posts extending from said base into slots in said bracket members.
 4. A fixture according to claim 3, wherein said posts are internally threaded and comprising thumb screw means receivable in said posts for locking said bracket members in adjusted positions on said base member.
 5. A fixture according to claim 1, wherein said bracket members each comprise an upstanding portion on which said planar surface is disposed, and a portion extending at an angle therefrom and on which said edge portion is disposed, said edge portion being offset from the plane of said surface.
 6. A fixture according to claim 5, comprising a flange on each of said bracket members extending perpendicularly to said planar surface and being slotted in a direction parallel to said planar surface, and a plurality of guide members on said base extending into the slots in the flanges on said bracket members for restricting the movement of said bracket members to rectilinear directions parallel to said slots.
 7. A fixture according to claim 6 wherein said base is provided with a plurality of circumferential circles marked thereon, the center of said circles lying on said common line. 